Handgrip adapter for archery bow



Dec. 10, 1968 F. B. BEAR HANDGRIP ADAPTER FOR ARCHERY BOW Filed May 28.1965 PlCl4. FIG. 5.

INVENTOR ATTORI VEX United States Patent 3,415,241 HANDGRIP ADAPTER FORARCHERY BOW Fred B. Bear, Grayling, Mich., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Victor Comptometer Corporation, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,610 1 Claim.(Cl. 124-24) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A handgrip member adapted to besnap-fitted upon the handle section of an archery bow and including, abody of resilient material provided with a central cavity undersizedwith respect to the handle section to permit ready attachment andremoval therefrom.

This invention relates to archery accessories, and more particularly tomeans for selectively providing a range of comfortable, custom-fithandgrips for bows having handle sections of varying designs. One formof handle section in common use has the back and face sides of thesection disposed in a substantially vertical plane and parallel to eachother. Another form of handle section is commonly referred to as apistol grip type where both the back and face sides are inclined fromthe vertical within a range of approximately 20 to 60. The shape of thehandle section herein illustrated and described by way of example, liesbetween the handle shapes just referred to. 1

One of the objects of the invention is to provide the bow with which thehandgrip is to be used, with minimum dimensional characteristics in thehandle area at the time the bow is manufactured so that by theapplication of a selected handgrip adapter of a predetermined thickness,the individual archers particular sized hand may be properlyaccommodated. In other words, with the handle section of the bowproduced in a small, but uniform and dimensionally stable shape, then bythe utilization of a handgrip adapter having a selected thickness, notonly can an archer having an extremely small sized grip be accommodated,but if the archer has a very large hand, then a selected handgripadapter of appropiiate thickness would be used in order to build up thegrip portion of the bow to the proper size.

Another object is to provide a saddle shaped handgrip made of a fairlyfirm type of plastic, or other suitable material such as rubber whichmay be retained upon the bow section merely by its inherent resiliencyand particular molded shape through providing a snap-on type of fit. Inthis manner, various archers may utilize the same how by merelyexchanging and attaching their own custom-sized handgrip adapter.Alternatively, the handgrip may be secured to the handle section byadhesives or other appropriate means if desired according to theindividuals preference.

Also, due to the nature of the material from which the handgrip adapteris made, an individual archer may, if he desires, further customize anyone of a wide selection of shapes and sizes of handgrips by carving,grinding, or filling the grip to suit his own particular need.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated, and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the improved bow, showing in dotted linesa preformed handle section which in itself constittues the minimum sizegrip, with the adapter in place.

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FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter as it appears from one side.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter shown in FIG. 2, taken fromthe opposite side.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of a portion of the bow and adapter, as itwould appear to the archer.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the adapter illustrating the constrictedgripping throat whose flexible feathered edge portions assist in holdingthe adapter on the bow.

FIG. 6 is a detail enlarged portion of the handle section of the bowwith the medial portion of the adapter shown in section.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawing.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the complete bow B is shown as having apermanent minimum basic size handle section H with the face of thehandle section shown in dotted lines with the present adapter A appliedthereto. Typical dimensions of a handle section made in a minimum sizewould be approximately 1% inches from the back to the face of the handlesection as indicated by arrows in FIG. 6, and approximately 1 inch fromside to side as indicated by arrows in FIG. 4. The handle section Hwithout the adapter may be suitable for use by some archers with smallhands, but the average archer would use an approxiately sized and shapedadapter.

For example, as shown, the contour of the handle, using the arrow restplatform P as a horizontal line, has an outer finger gripping facedisposed at approximately 21 thereto and an inner face disposed atapproximately 51 to said platform, thereby to provide a socket-like handhold which will comfortably receive the palm of the hand and fingers.

The adapter A is of generally saddle shaped formation, convenientlyarranged for snapping on and oh the bow at the location of the permanentgrip area, thus rendering the accessory a solitary article of personalpossession to fit the similarly shaped hand grip portion of more thanone bow it it is desired to be used in this manner. As previouslymentioned, the adapter may be permanently secured to the how by means ofadhesive if the archer so desires. The particular shape of the adapteris equally important for this mode of use since it snugly fits thecontour of the handle section as well as the archers hand.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the adapter A includes a body which ispreferably thicker in the mid-wall portion 1 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7than at its opposite ends and side edges. One end, namely the top, is inthe general form of a collar or horn 2 which forms a nonslip cavity 3 toreceive the forefinger and thumb of the users hand.

The flanges or side walls 4 and 5 feather off from the relatively thickmid-wall portion 1 of the body and their outer edges 4' and 5 taperinwardly to provide a mouth or space therebetween of less width than thewidth of the related portion of the handle section to thus ensure thatthe adapter snugly embraces the handgrip area H, as shown to advantagein FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

The contour of the inner surface of the adapter conforms to the shape ofthe handle to which it is attached, and the thickness of the mid-wallportion 1 of the body is formed on a longitudinally symmetrical compoundcurve and feathers off at its upper and lower extremeties so as tocomfortably fit the palm of the archers hand. However, the side wall 5which is adjacent to the intended users thumb, is not longitudinallysymmetrical in thickness to the extent that it has an offset shoulderportion 6 adjoining the relatively flat outer face 7. The purpose ofthis arrangement is to provide a convenient and comfortable grippingsurface for the thumb and fingers of the archers hand, and, inparticular, the shoulder 6 provides a support for the users thumb and,together with the outwardly flared horn 2 provides a stop or abutment toprevent the archers hand from slipping upwardly and downwardly when hisgrip is tightened. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, thebow and adapter are for use by a right-handed archer; however, it isunderstood that the invention is equally applicable to either right orleft-handed bows by a lateral reversal of the construction thereof.

it will thus be seen that the present adapter is not only useful as apersonalized handgrip, but also because the thumb and forefinger and thecrotch therebetween fit easily and snugly in the cavity 3, while theremaining digits grip the surfaces of the side walls 4 and 5, whereby afirm and sure grip is ensured for the archer to steady the boW andenhance the aim of the arrow at the target.

Another advantage which may be obtained by making the adapter of arubber or plastic material is that it provides a cushioning effect forthe archers hand and by forming the surface thereof so that it isslightly roughened, a non-slip effect is obtained which results in amore positive and steady grip.

Without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims, the handgrip adapters of my invention may be of amolded size and shape to fit handle sections of bows of various designsand are not necessarily restricted to the size and shape of the adapterillustrated in the drawing which shows a preferred embodiment thereof.For example, the interior contour of the adapter may be so proportionedas to fit a handle section whose back and face areas are substantiallyparallel and are disposed in a vertical plane relative to the bow stringwhile the outer hand gripping portion may take the shape illustrated inthe drawings.

I claim:

1. In combination with an archery bow provided with an undersized handlesection comprising front and side walls of compound curvature andincluding an undercut portion at the top thereof on the front of saidbow, a handgrip adapter comprising, an integral body of resilientmaterial substantially C-shaped in section to provide a bow handleengaging cavity of lesser transverse dimension than the correspondingdimension of said how handle section, said body including a mid-Wallportion and a pair of spaced apart side walls, the top of said mid-wallportion and said side walls flared outwardly to provide a horn at thetop of said body cavity, one of said side walls including a laterallyprojecting shoulder intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof, thethickness of the top and bottom edges of said mid-wall portion and thefree edges of each of said side walls decreasing to a feather, whereby,said resilient adapter body may be snap-fitted about said bow handlesection with said horn engaging said handle undercut portion, said sidewall free edges tightly engaging the back of the bow handle section, andsaid feather edges providing a smooth transition between the curvatureof said body and said handle section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Prima/yExaminer.

\V. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 12430

